Alec Stewart
Alec James Stewart
Born: 8 April 1963, Merton, Surrey
Major Teams: Surrey, England.
Known As: Alec Stewart
Pronounced: Alec Stewart
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Medium
Other: Wicket-Keeper
Father: Stewart, MJ;
Test Debut: England v West Indies at Kingston, 1st Test, 1989/90
Latest Test: England v Australia at Brisbane, 1st Test, 2002/03
ODI Debut: England v Sri Lanka at Delhi, Nehru Cup, 1989/90
Latest ODI: England v India at Colombo (RPS), ICC Champions Trophy, 2002/03
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1993
Awarded the MBE on 13th June 1998
Career Statistics:
TESTS
(including 07/11/2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 123 219 19 7919 190 39.59 48.46 15 40 239 13
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 3.2 0 13 0 - - 0 0 - 3.90
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS
(including 22/09/2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 155 148 14 4315 116 32.20 67.84 4 24 142 13
O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling - - - - - - - - - -
FIRST-CLASS
(1981 - 2002/03; last updated 10/11/2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 431 710 78 25170 271* 39.82 48 138 677 31
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 81.1 5 423 3 141.00 1-7 0 0 162.3 5.21
LIST A LIMITED OVERS
(1981 - 2002/03; last updated 10/11/2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 487 458 52 14402 167* 35.47 19 90 424 45
O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 0.4 0 8 0 - - 0 0 - 12.00
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
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Profile:
The name of Alec Stewart, together with that of his one-time opening partner
Michael Atherton, was synonymous with the England side during the 1990s. He
played in every year of the decade and toured during every winter. In fact,
he was the leading run scorer in world Test cricket during the '90s with
6,407 runs at an average of 40.81. In 2000 he celebrated his hundredth Test
appearance (by a remarkable coincidence, with Atherton) against the West
Indies at Old Trafford, and marked the occasion with a century on the Queen
Mother's 100th birthday.
A fine player of impeccable pedigree (his father Mickey captained Surrey
and played for England), Alec followed in his father's footsteps to The Oval
and made his debut in 1981, receiving his county cap four years later. His
most prolific years for his county came during the latter half of the '80s
when he scored more than 1,000 first-class runs for the side in five
successive seasons. Thereafter, his runs at The Oval were diluted because
much of his summer was spent playing for England. However, the runs he did
score for Surrey always came at a very healthy average, rarely dropping
below 40.
Stewart's Test debut came at Kingston, Jamaica in February 1990, but it
was not until his sixth Test the following summer against New Zealand that
he hit his first fifty. His first century came in his 14th Test against Sri
Lanka at Lord's in 1991. Three more hundreds swiftly followed in his next
four games, and Stewart was firmly established in the England set-up. At
Bridgetown, Barbados, in April 1994, he became the first Englishman to score
a century in each innings against the West Indies, knocks of 118 and 143
steering England to victory. His highest score of 190 came against Pakistan
at Edgbaston in 1992.
Over the years, Stewart has filled a plethora of roles. He was
vice-captain to Atherton and Graham Gooch and captained the side himself for
the first time against India in Chennai in February 1993. He was officially
appointed captain in 1998 and led England for 14 Test matches altogether,
including a series victory at home against South Africa. He also skippered
them in the 1999 World Cup, standing down afterwards.
Stewart played a major role in England's success in the summer of 2000
and on tour the following winter when they won four series in a row. He hit
two centuries during the summer, against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.
Although tackling the spinners was never his forte, he applied himself well
the following winter in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and hit an invaluable
half-century in Kandy. But his winter was overshadowed by the allegations of
the Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta that Stewart had received £5,000 for
providing information to a bookmaker about match conditions and team
selection. Stewart vehemently denied the charges (and ever knowingly meeting
Mr Gupta) and received the full support of the England & Wales Cricket Board
in response. He was subsequently cleared of the allegations after Mr Gupta
apparently refused to make a statement to Sir Paul Condon's Anti-Corruption
Unit, or to appear at any disciplinary hearing or substantiate his claim.
Stewart started the 2001 season well, with seven catches and a
scintillating cameo of 44 in the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's,
which England won by an innings. After Nasser Hussain's thumb was broken by
Shoaib Akhtar, Stewart agreed to deputise as captain, a post he was to hold
for the second Test at Old Trafford and the one-day triangular series
against Australia and Pakistan that followed. It was not a successful
period. Pakistan won an excellent match in Manchester to square the series,
and then joined Australia in sending England to six consecutive one-day
defeats. When Hussain was again injured in the first Test against Australia,
Stewart let it be known that he was not available to deputise.
Although the Ashes series was not one of his best, Stewart still finished
fourth in the averages, scoring 283 runs at a shade over 35. He provided
some rare entertainment at Headingley, where after being moved down to
number seven and finding himself batting with the tail, he jettisoned the
coaching manual to make an unbeaten 76 which included some extraordinary
shots (one of which, off Glenn McGrath, went over extra cover for six).
During the final Test at The Oval, both Stewart and Darren Gough
indicated that they were unavailable for England's winter tour of India.
Stewart cited personal reasons (he needed a break) and the Gupta
allegations. Although both players were available for the New Zealand tour
in the New Year, the selectors took the view that it would set a dangerous
precedent to allow players to "pick and choose" which elements of a winter
tour they were prepared to undertake. They therefore issued contracts to
cover both Test tours, and neither Stewart nor Gough was offered one.
Despite his disappointment, Stewart confirmed his intention to play at least
two more years' first-class cricket, and to regain his place in the England
side.
Although Stewart was not initially given a central contract for the 2002
season, he began it in excellent form for Surrey both at and behind the
wicket. That and the ill-fortune of the contracted wicket-keeper James
Foster, who broke his arm in the nets, prompted a recall for Stewart for the
first Test against Sri Lanka. It heralded yet another successful season,
crowned at his favourite ground, Lord's, in July when he overtook Graham
Gooch's record of 118 Tests to become England's most-capped cricketer in
both forms of the game. Other highlights included his 15th Test century,
against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, and his 200th catch as England's
wicket-keeper when he caught Sourav Ganguly in the final Test at The Oval.
Consistent batting and a safe pair of hands throughout the summer left many
wondering why on earth England had considered managing without him. He was
an automatic choice for his fourth tour of Australia, and current
indications are that when his international career does end, it will be at a
moment of his own choosing.
For many matches an opening batsman, Stewart has more recently gone in at
various positions in the middle order. He has been wicket-keeper in a large
proportion of his games and although the dual role has at times meant a dip
in his batting average, it still represents an impressive return for an
all-rounder. As an example of his ability to combine multiple roles, his 164
against South Africa at Old Trafford in 1998 is a Test record for a
captain/wicket-keeper. Stewart was awarded the MBE in 1998, and a
Testimonial by Surrey for the 2003 season. (Stephen Lamb, Copyright CricInfo
October 2002)
Last Updated: Sunday, 10-Nov-2002 16:02:41 GMT
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